A manhunt has been launched in South Africa after 17 people, including 15 women, were killed in a mass shooting in the town of Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape province. The shooting occurred at two houses in close proximity to each other, with twelve women and a man killed in one house, and three women and a man killed in the other. Four women, a man, and a two-month-old baby survived the attack. The motives for the killing remain unknown, and police are currently searching for the suspects.
Police minister Senzo Mchunu stated that a team of detectives and forensic experts had been deployed to crack the case and find the criminals. South Africa has seen a rise in mass shootings in recent years, with firearms being the leading cause of death in homicide cases. The country recorded 12,734 homicides in the first six months of the year, averaging over 70 a day.
Authorities have attributed the prevalence of illegal, unregistered guns in circulation as a major problem in addressing gun violence. In a similar incident in April 2023, ten members of the same family were killed in a mass shooting in the neighboring KwaZulu-Natal province. The police chief noted that the motive for the recent shooting is unknown, and they are unsure if there is one or multiple suspects on the run. The national police are determined to apprehend the suspects and bring them to justice.
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